Living and studying in Florence is already an unforgettable experience, but this semester at AEF became even more meaningful during Sustainability Week, a week dedicated to green living, cultural awareness, and the everyday choices that shape our future. From cleaning city parks to debating the ethics of fashion, the week showed me how Florence is not just a city of history, but also a city searching for a sustainable tomorrow.
Starting with Action: Cleaning Florence with Angeli del Bello
The week began with an activity that was as simple as it was symbolic. Together with Angeli del Bello, a local association devoted to keeping Florence beautiful, we gathered outside the school and walked to a nearby park. Armed with gloves and three separate bags: one for glass, one for plastic, one for paper. We joined dozens of students and teachers, in a collective clean-up.
It might sound small, but picking up litter in a city so rich with art and culture made me reflect on what “beauty” really means. Florence isn’t just Michelangelo and Brunelleschi, it’s also the piazzas where families gather, the green spaces where children play, and the quiet corners we pass every day. Protecting those spaces felt like a very Florentine way to begin Sustainability Week.
Fashion and Responsibility: Learning from Zerolab
Day two shifted the focus from parks to the catwalk. We welcomed Head of Operations and CSR at Zerolab, the first Italian hub for fashion upcycling. Zerolab works with major luxury partners including Gucci, Cartier, Ralph Lauren, and Burberry to tackle one of Italy’s most pressing problems: leather waste. An astonishing 750 million kilograms of leather is discarded in Italy every year.
As explained, the fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of global emissions. It’s a sobering fact, especially here in Florence, a city famous for craftsmanship and luxury. But what struck me most was Zerolab’s solution: DIY kits that allow consumers to upcycle and repurpose materials themselves. It felt empowering to realise that sustainability in fashion doesn’t have to mean rejecting luxury entirely - it’s about rethinking the systems that create it.
Tourism and the City: The Challenge of “Overtourism”
On day three, we turned to one of Florence’s most urgent debates: overtourism. With over 19.5 million visitors in 2024, Florence is a city loved almost too much. A specialist in sustainable urban tourism, spoke to us about how tourism shapes Tuscany’s economy, making up 13% of the region’s GDP, but also challenges local residents’ quality of life.
We discussed how tourism affects Florence on multiple levels: the environment, the economy, and even the culture itself. For example, while the famous “wine windows” have become a quirky attraction for visitors, they also symbolise how traditions can be repackaged for consumption. Listening to this talk, I found myself torn: as an international student, I am part of this flow of outsiders. But being here for longer than a few days gives me a different perspective, one that values Florence as a home, not just a postcard.
The day ended on a lighter note with “aperitivo green,” where everyone dressed in shades of green. Sharing drinks and conversation at AEF, I realised that sustainability isn’t only about sacrifice; it’s also about community, creativity, and joy.
Reflections: Living Sustainably in Florence
AEF’s Sustainability Week showed me that sustainability is not a single action or lecture, but a way of living. Whether it’s picking up litter in a park, rethinking the clothes we wear, or reimagining how cities welcome visitors, the choices we make ripple outward.
For me, as a student in Florence, this week made sustainability feel tangible and deeply connected to Italian culture. Florence taught the world about Renaissance beauty centuries ago, perhaps now it can teach us something just as valuable: how to build a future that’s not only beautiful, but sustainable too.
